Transcripts

MS. REBECCA SHEIR

13:50:50

It's no secret. Washington D.C. is a pretty distinctive place. I mean, where else you can find some of America's most famous monuments to democracy? Just a stone's throw from some of the world's most visited museums and the people, you have folks from all walks of life, from all over the world, working all sorts of jobs to make D.C., well, D.C.

MS. REBECCA SHEIR

13:51:13

So we're pleased to announce a new regular segment on "Metro Connection." We're calling it "D.C. Gigs," to get a flavor of some those distinctively D.C. jobs and the people who work them. Reporter and producer Mark Adams has been heading out around town to talk with people about what they do and this week, we visit the Tenleytown metro station or just outside the station actually , where D.C. native Donella Johnson tries to bring a little warmth to the morning commute by handing out copies of the free daily newspaper, "Express."

MS. DONELLA JOHNSON

13:51:44

"Express." You're welcome, have a good day. My name is Donella. I give out "Express" papers and I work in Tenleytown Station. Good morning, sir, good morning. You have a good day today. They call me The Sunshine of Tenleytown. That's what I am. Good morning. Have a good one. Some of our regulars won't even take the paper 'cause it's too cold, but today is a pretty good day. So I think they're going pretty good today.

MS. DONELLA JOHNSON

13:52:15

How about that? It's going to be much warmer this week, though. That's a good thing. Yeah, you dressed for the occasion.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE #2

13:52:23

Yeah.

JOHNSON

13:52:23

But we have to work pretty much in anything. There's been some days that I wouldn't even want a dog to be outside when we have been outside and -- though that's one of my traumatic experiences, being out here 'cause, like I said, there's been times it's been zero below when nobody have no business being -- sometimes we would be the only ones out here. Nobody around here so that's the experience I would never forget.

JOHNSON

13:52:53

There was a day we were standing out here and it seemed like we were just lost on our time, freezing cold, when a guy walked up to us, to me, to my partner and asked us, were we warm enough and asked us where was our hot chocolate. And he went to Starbucks -- good morning -- and he got us both a cup of hot chocolate and told us he hoped that kept us warm and have good day. So that was one of my better moments. That was a day that made me happy.

JOHNSON

13:53:28

Good morning Maryanne. You, too. You have a good day, too. I've always been a happy-go-lucky type person, silly, more so. And I come from a wonderful family that helps keep the smile on my face, which is my grandmother, 'cause my grandmother raised me and she raised us to be happy and positive. Yes, she did.

JOHNSON

13:53:56

Good morning, ma'am, you have a good day. And I just try to take it with me everywhere I go. And what I've noticed working this job, you always got to keep a positive attitude 'cause there's always somebody that's going to set you off, always, when they come and snatch them papers out of your hand. A lot of them would prefer to get them from me than to get them from out of the stand, I guess because I'm so friendly. Who can resist a pretty old smile like this? I'd rather get them from me as well.

SHEIR

13:54:34

To see pictures of Donella in action, visit our website, metroconnection.org. And if you have a D.C. gig, you think we should highlight on the show, let us know. Send us an e-mail at metro@wamu.org or visit us on Facebook.

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